NEW YORK  The U.S. Commerce Department has postponed until March 4 the deadline for preliminary determinations in its anti-dumping investigation on ferrosilicon imports from Russia and Venezuela.

The move was in response to a Dec. 5 request by petitionerswhich include Globe Specialty Metals Inc., New York, and CC Metals & Alloys LLC, Calvert City, Ky.to give Commerce additional time to review submissions from parties involved in the anti-dumping investigation. The deadline had been Dec. 26 (amm.com, Aug. 30).

"Because there are no compelling reasons to deny the request, the department is postponing the deadline for the preliminary determinations in these investigations by 50 days to March 4," Commerce said. "The deadline for the final determinations of these investigations will continue to be 75 days after the date of the preliminary determinations, unless extended at a later date."

Commerce began its investigation in August (amm.com, Aug. 9) following the filing of an anti-dumping petition that primarily targets ferrosilicon imports handled by Ferroatlantica North America Inc. and Russian Ferroalloys Inc. (amm.com, July 19).

The investigation caused a spike in domestic spot prices for ferrosilicon, and has prompted one importer to offer supply contracts covering only the first half of 2014 (amm.com, Nov. 22).